Runway forming and load receiving multiple car assembly



Sept. 29, 1959 D. l. HAYES RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR ASSEMBLY Filed May 19, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOE ale f JG/aye@ Sept. 29, 1959 D. l. HAYES 2,906,212

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D. l. VHAYES Sept. 29, 1959 RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR-ASSEMBLY Filed May 19, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. cz/e ffaye Sept. 29, 1959V D. l. HAYES 2,906,212

RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR ASSEMBLY Filed May 19, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 5Pt 29 1959 D. l. HAYES 2,906,212.

RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR lASSEMBLY Filed May 19, 1955 7 sheets-sheets SIT.

Sept. 29, 1959 D. HAYES 2,906,212

RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR ASSEMBLY Filed May 19, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 if a w ai Z,

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Sept 29, 1959 D. l. HAYES 2,906,212

` RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR ASSEMBLY Filed May 19, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O RUNWAY FORMING AND LOAD RECEIVING MULTIPLE CAR ASSEMBLY Dale I. Hayes, Spokane, Wash., assignor to American Zinc, Lead and Smelting Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maine ApplicationvMay 19, y1955, Serial N o. 509,463 Claims. (Cyl. 111144-137) My invention relates to a' runway forming and load rreceiving multiple car `assembly which is adapted for use :with self-loading transports such for example 'as that :shown in my prior patent application, Ser. No. 482,009, filed January 17, 1955; for a Self-Loading Transport and Dump Gate'll'herefor and now Patent Number 2,743,828 dated May 1, 1956'.

The self-loading transport is particularly adapted for I loading and carrying away the earth or ore from the .'face of a cut or tunnel. It is the principal purpose of `this invention to provide `a car assembly which can be .ibrought into the cut or tunnel on rails and which provides a runway upon which the self-loading transport and its tractor can travel so that the load in the transport can be deposited in the cars and the transport can be returned ato the loading `face in a simple and eicient manner.

.My invention contemplates the provision of a multipleV car v v @assembly wherein load carrying cars and ramp forming tcars are so constructed as to form a runway over the .assembly from the lloor level of the cut or tunnel upon 'zwhich the transport can be moved to load the cars, the

entire car assembly, including the ramp forming cars,

,being movable `as a train, wherein the several units are .articulated together for rail travel. l

It is also the purpose of my invention to provide a runl"way forming and load receiving multiple car assembly ,of the type above described, with means operable to limit 5 the end play in the assembly while the cars are being loaded so .that the end thrust transmitted by the transport L,in moving onto or off the car assembly is prevented from udisplacing the cars or causing accumulated slack to create undue impact forces lengthwise of the cars.

In particular my invention contemplates the provision i t of an assembly of load receiving cars and ramp forming ,.cars wherein the car structure embodies a runway along ',the longitudinal sides of the load receiving and ramp ,formmg cars. This runway is so integrated with the sides I .of the cars `as to provide a structural beam capable of :supporting-the entire load -of the self-loading transport .and the tractor which operates it. The cars are spring Asupported on the usual trucks and my invention includes means cooperating with the cars to prevent the heavy load f panying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is illustrated.V The drawingsl and description are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

.In the drawings: t

Figure l is a perspective view of a runway forming and i 'hinged thereto at their lowermost ends.

load receiving multiple car assembly embodying my invention, a self-loading transport of the type hereinbefore referred to being shown in connection with the assembly;

Figure 2 is aside View of one end of the assembly showing the ramp portion thereof and a part of one load receiving car;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the car assembly showing how the units of the assembly are articulated together;

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of one of the ramp forming members of the assembly, showing its connections to the two adjacent members;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 o-f Figure 5;

Y Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 5;

i l' Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating how the lowermost ramp forming member folds up for transport;

Figure 9 is a viewrin side elevation of one of the load receiving cars Iillustrating how it is supported, when being loaded, in such a way as to protect the springs from excessive compression;

Figure l() is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 9;

Figure ll is a plan sectional view showing the connectionbetween two adjacent cars;

Figure l2 is a fragmentary side View, looking at Figure ll from theside; 1

Figure 13 is another fragmentary view looking at Figure ll from the side, but showing the parts that interlock the cars in a changed position;

Figure 14 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of Figure 11; t

Figure l5 is a perspective view of the interlocking element that is used between cars and ramp forming members; and v Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line lr6-416' of Figure ll, illustrating how the velement shown in Figure 15 is pinned to a car.

l Figure l7 is an enlarged fragmentary side View of a portion of a runway with the track laying support for the transport thereon, showing a slight modification in the runway.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to 4Figure l, the runway forming and load receiving multiple car assembly is shown with a self-loading transport 1 thereon. This self-loading transport is of the type described in my prior application. It is supported at the front end by track laying wheels 2 and 3 and at the rear end by a powered vehicle 4 which has track laying wheels' 5. The car assembly embodies a plurality of load receiving cars 6 combined with ramp forming cars 7 ands. All of the aforesaid cars have wheels which are adapted lto run on rails indicated at 10 and 11 in Figure l. The ramp forming cars 8 have ground engaging ramps 9 As indicated in Figure Z the ramps 9 are adapted to fold up from the position vshown in full lines in Figure 2 to the full line position shown in Figure 8 for transport. The ramps 9 have Vrunways 12 which are provided with upstanding guides 13 along their outer edges. The runways 12 are shown in Figure 1 with a treadcovering 14 which may be vof a-:suitable composition such as rubber to provide a good `grip for the track laying elements 2, 3 and 5.

The several cars 6have runways 15 and 16 forming the at top portions of the longitudinal side walls 6a and 6b ofthecars. These runways 15 and 16 have the covering ,14' thereon.` 'Ifheyr are also provided with upstanding vguides `17 and 18 'along their outer edges. The guides 17 and 18 cooperate to oppose transverse movement of the transport 1 or the powered vehicle 4 when travelling over the cars 6.

The ramp forming cars 7 have their longitudinal side Walls 7a and 7b provided with at top portions 19 and 20 to form runways. It will be noted that the side walls 7a and 7b decrease in depth from the end of the car 7 adjacent to a car 6 to the other end of the car 7 so as to incline the runways 19 and 20. Outer guides 21 and 22 are provided on the runways 19 and 20 for the same purpose as the guides 17 and 18.

The cars 8 also have tapered side walls 8a and 8b which decrease in depth from the ends adjacent the cars 7 to the ends of the side walls 8a and 8b. The longitudinal side walls 8a and 8b have at top portions 23 and 24 forming runways that are inclined at the same slope as the runways 19 and 20. Outer guides 25 and 26 are provided on the runways 23 and 24.

The cars 6 are provided with body portions with bottom dump gates indicated at 27 in Figure 3 of the drawings. This body construction is well known, and since it forms no part of my invention, it will not be described in detail.

As shown best in Figures 9 and 10, the cars 6 are supported by wheeled trucks 28. Each truck 28 comprises a shaft 29 and wheels 30. Journal boxes 31 are mounted on the ends of the shafts 29 and the cars 6 are supported on the journal boxes by springs 32 that seat on the journal boxes. The cars 6 have spring seats 33 that receive the top ends of the springs 32. The longitudinal side walls 6a and 6b are so constructed as to provide strong rigid supports for the runways 15 and 16. Each ofthe side walls is made up of a main plate 34 that extends full length of the car 6. This plate has a V-shaped member 35 welded to it, one side of the V-shaped member forming the runway 15 or 16 and the other side extending upwardly and inwardly from the plate 34. The member 35 isalso welded to the plate 34 at the outer edge of the runway 15 or 16 as indicated at 36. The guides 17 and 18 are formed by upstanding portions of the member 35 above the weld point 36, which portions are bent over as illustrated at 37 so as to form a strong upstanding guide that extends outwardly slightly from the bottom to the top. Since these guides 17 and 18 are intended to crowd the tracks 2, 3 and 5 inward and keep them from moving outwardly at either side of the car, itis essential that the guides be of such a nature as to withstand abuse to which they will be subjected. The longitudinal side walls'a and 6b are connected at intervals throughout their length by cross members 27a of the car body V27. The car body also includes longitudinally running beams 2717 which extend downwardly below the lower edges of the plate 34 and which are joined to the plates 34 and suitably reenforced by webs 27e. The dump bottom gates 27d are placed between the beams V27b. The seats 33 are bolted to L-shaped plates 38 that are'welded to the plates 34 on the outside thereof.

The construction of the cars 7 and 8 are substantially the same except that the cars 7 have higher side walls 7a and 7b than the side walls of the car 8. The detailed construction of the cars 8 is illustrated best in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive. Two shafts 39 and 40 are provided for supporting the car 3. The shafts 39 and 40 have wheels 41 at the ends thereof and the shaft,39 is securedto the side walls 8a and 8b of the car 8 in the manner illustrate-d in Figure 6. The runway 23 is provided with depending ribs .42 and 43 which mount a bearing block.44 that receives a-reduced end'45 of the shaft 39. The side WallfSa includes Van outer plate 46 that extends upward from the lower edgeV of the rib 42. The runway 23is bentupwardly to form theupstanding guide 254 which is also folded over as indicatedat 47 for bracing. The

inner edge of the runway 23 isbraced `by a plate 48' that extends downwardly and'is welded to the rib 43'. Cross 4 braces 49 are provided at intervals between the plates 48 and the ribs 43 throughout the length of the car 8.

The shaft 40 is mounted Vin the ribs 42 and 43 by a bearing block 50 in essentially the same manner as the shaft 39 is mounted in the bearing block 44. At the lowermost ends, the side walls 8a and 8b of the cars 8 are provided with lugs 51 which are apertured to receive hinge Ypins 52. Similar lugs 53 are provided on the ramps 9 land these lugs are apertured also to receive the pins 52. In this way the ramps 9 are hinged or pivoted to the cars 8 so they can swing up and down. The ramps 9 are linked together by a cross bar 54, shown in Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 also illustrate the manner in which the car assembly is latched to the rails at the end of the rail line in order `to prevent lthe thrust of the transport and its powered vehicle from moving the car assembly along the track. The shaft 40 is used for this purpose. The rail 11 is shown as having a latch arm 54 fastened toit by a plate 55 which is bolted to the rail and which has a pivot pin 56 for the lever 54. The lever 54 has a hook portion 57 which is adapted to engage the shaft 40. A lock `member 58 is pivoted on the hook member 57 and is shaped to hook around the shaft 40, as shown in Figure 5, so as to cooperate with the hook portion 57 in preventing the shaft 40 from becoming disengaged from the latch arm `54. When the latch arm 54 is to be released from the shaft 40, the lock member 58 can be raised by means of a handle 59 thereon.

The cars 7 and 8 are coupled to each other by coupling bars 60 and coupling pins 61 on the meeting ends of the cars. The cars 60 are also coupled to each other and to the cars 7 by similar coupling bars 62 and coupling pins '63.

The normal couplings provided by the coupling bars 60 and 62 and the coupling pins 61 and 63, provides a certain amount of exibility in the connection between the cars, and a certain amount of end play as well. When the transport or its powered vehicle rst enters upon the runways on a car, it tends to tip the far end of the car upward whether the car is spring supported or without springs. Such tipping can, if unlimited, lift the flanges of the car wheels most distant from the transport above the rails and cause derailment when they come down. My invention provides means to prevent such excessive tipping of any of the cars above their wheels. This means Yalso'keepsthe meeting ends of the runways on adjacent cars aligned .when the assembly is receiving a load. Whenthe car assembly is being loaded, it is important that the end play between cars be eliminated. Otherwise the end thrust of the transport and its powered vehicle will be continually moving the cars and putting undue strains on the coupling members. It is also desirable to protectfthe springs 32 against excessive loading when the self-loadingftransport is moving over the cars. Normally the carloadl compresses the springs 32 in accordance with the amount ofload. As shown in Figure l0, provision is made at 64 forlimited movement of the shaft 29 up and down with respect to the car beams 27b. A simple mechanism is provided for taking care of thetipping, the lost motion between cars, and for limiting the compresrsion ofvthersprings 32 while the transport is moving over the cars. This mechanism is illustrated in Figures 11 to '16 inclusive. Connecting link members 65 are pivoted at both sidesof one end of each car by pivot bolts 66. Theselink members 65.are adapted to t between the upright bars 67 that are provided at both sides of the other end of each car excepting the cars 8. The link .membersv have apertures 68 at their free ends and the bars.67 are apertured at 69 to receive tapered locking pins v70. When the pins 70 are inserted in place, as

illustrated in Figures 11, 12, 14 and 16, they connect the Vcars together'in such a way as to take up the endwise bers 72 at their lowermost ends. kThese rail'. engaging members 72 are adapted to t down overl the rails 10 and -11 when the links 65 are coupled to both cars and thus 'provide stops limiting the movement of the cars transversely of the rails. They also provide supports which prevent endwise tipping of a car and which will take a part of the load when the springs 32 'are compressed far enough to bring the members 72 into engagement with the rails and 11. The 'length'of the pedestal 71 is calculated so as normally to leavea small Ispace between the top of the rail and the member 72, this space however, being less than the depth of the anges on the member 72 so that the flanges always serve to prevent excessive transverse misalignment of the runways. When the cars are on a curve, there will be some lateral displacement of the member 72 with respect to the rails, therefore the space between the flanges of the member 72 is somewhat greater than the transverse thickness of the rail, and the flanges are bevelled on their inner faces.

The links 65 are adapted to be swung up out of the way when the cars are travelling. A hook latch 73 is provided on the end of each car which carries the links 65 to hold the `links 65 in a raised position.

When it is desired to lock a link 65 at the free end of one of the cars 6 in its lowered position, it is necessary to provide a separate brace member 74 which can be connected to the free end of the link 65 by a pin 75. This brace member 74 engages a stop 76 at the end of the car 6 and is held in this manner in such a position as to hold the pedestal 71 in position to engage the member 72 with the rail.

All of the runways 15, 16, 19, 20, 23 and 24 are provided with the tread covering 14. Alternatively these runways may be provided with transverse ribs 77, as illustrated in Figure 17 of the drawings. These ribs 77 are spaced apart a distance which is twice the length of the treads 78 on the track members 2, 3 and 5. These track members normally have spaces 79 between them `so that the ribs 77 act as retaining cleats to keep the tracks from slipping endwise on the runways.

It is believed that the nature and advantages of the invention will be clear from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A runway forming and load receiving multiple car assembly including a plurality of wheeled cars coupled together to support a load transporting vehicle thereon for travel thereover from one end of the assembly to the other and adapted to receive therein material discharged from said vehicle while it is supported thereon, each car having a fore and aft elongated body portion having a bottom wall, end Walls, side walls extending upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall, horizontally disposed fore and aft extending wheel receiving runway plates at the top of the spaced apart side walls, and an upstanding guide flange at one side edge of each of said runway plates to guide wheels thereon, the space between said runway plates being open to the bottom wall to receive discharged material while said vehicle is supported upon said runway plates, comprising means coupled between adjacent cars holding them in fixed longitudinal relation to each other while said load transporting vehicle is moving thereover, and downwardly extending means on both sides of and mounted on opposite ends of each car longitudinally aligned with the wheels of the car engaging the surface upon which the wheels travel when said vehicle is passing over the car to prevent tipping of the cars with respect to each other under an uneven load.

2. A load receiving and runway forming wheeled car adapted to support a load transporting vehicle thereon for fore and aft travel thereover and adapted to receive therein a load of material discharged from said vehicle as it travels thereover, including a fore and aft elongated body having a bottom wall, end walls and side walls extending upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall, each of said side walls having a transversely extended horizontal runway forming surface at its upper edge to receive the wheels of a load transporting vehicle whereby to support said vehicle thereon for' movement fore and aft over the car, said horizontal runway forming sur-l faces being spaced apart and the space therebetween being open to the bottom wall to admit material discharged from a vehicle supported on said surfaces between the surfaces and into the body, and upstanding fore and aft extending guide membersalong one edge of each of said surfaces to guide a vehicle thereon comprising means secured on both sides of and at each end of the car longitudinally aligned with the wheels of the car engaging the surface upon which the wheels travel when a vehicle is passing over the car to prevent tipping of the 1card with respect to the adjacent car under an uneven 3. A runway forming and yload receiving multiple car assembly including a plurality of wheeled cars coupled together and mounted on rails and to support a load transporting vehicle thereon for travel thereover from one end of the assembly to the -other and adapted to receive therein material discharged from said vehicle while it is supported thereon, each car having a fore and aft elongated body portion having a bottom wall and end walls, and side walls extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom wall, horizontally disposed fore and aft extending Wheel receiving runway plates at the top of the spaced apart side walls, and an upstanding guide flange at one side edge of each of said runway plates to guide wheels thereon, the space between said runway plates being open to the bottom wall to receive discharged material while a vehicle is supported upon said runway plates, comprising releasable longitudinally rigid interlocking elements on both sides of and connecting adjacent cars preventing endwise movement of one car with respect to the other, and downwardly extending rail engaging portions on said interlocking elements preventing vertical tipping movement of the adjacent car ends.

4. In a load receiving and runway forming multiple car -assembly including .a plurality of Wheeled cars coupled together, each adapted to support a load transporting vehicle thereon for travel from one end of the assembly to the other and adapted to receive therein material discharged from said vehicle when it is supported thereon, the improvement in means for supporting adjacent cars against movement with respect to each other and against endwise tipping comprising transversely spaced link members pivoted at one end of certain cars -connectible to the adjacent ends of adjacent cars to secure them -in fixed longitudinal relation -to each other, and downwardly extending means mounted on each link means to engage with the surface upon which the wheels travel when said vehicle is passing over the car preventing tipping of lthe car under an uneven load.

5. In a load receiving and runway forming multiple car assembly including a plurali-ty of wheeled cars coupled together, each adapted to support a load -transpoi'ting Ivehicle thereon for travel from one end of the assembly to the other and adapted to receive therein material discharged Ifrom said vehicle when it is supported thereon, the improvement in means for supporting ladjacent cars against movement with respect to each other and against endwise tipping comprising transversely spaced interlocking members mounted at one end of certain cars, manually releasable means connecting said interlocking members to ythe ends of adjacent cars where- -by to support the cars in xed longitudinal relation to each other, and depending pedestals on said members to engage the surface upon which the cars travel when the members are connected between adjacent cars to prevent endwise tipping of the cars.

(References on following page) ReferencesCted in the file o'f this patent 'UNITED 4STATES :PATENTS 'Simmons `Mar. 26, l1895 Shutt Feb. 4, 1919 Hiss et al. .Dec. 7, 1920 Hug Nov. 25, 1924 Billings et al 'Aug. 18, 1925 Kellt Apr. 20, 1926 `,Coiey i VJune `1, 1926 10 y8 'Frede Dec. 29, 1936 Leer- Oct. 12, 1943 lLiller Feb. 26, FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 20, 1904 Germany Feb. 6, 1903 Germany Dec. 11, 1924 Germany Sept. 28, 1932 

